Signs of a Heart Attack

There are few things scarier than the idea of suffering a heart attack. However, 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented if you make the right choices for your heart such as diet, exercise and abstaining from smoking. This post is aimed at helping you learn more about a heart attack so you stay on the right side of this statistic.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. If the blood flow is completely cut off, the part of the heart muscle that that artery supplies will begin to die.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, don’t wait more than 5 minutes to call 9-1-1 or someone to take you to the hospital right away.

1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back.
2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3. Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea/vomiting or lightheadedness (more common in women than men).

SOURCE:

Women, Winter 2012